Equivalent
by awintea
Summary: royalpair // equivalent - equal in value, amount, importance, et cetera. Ryoma and Atobe partake in fair trade, though Ryoma isn't really sure how it all works and Atobe is far too amused // oneshot. challenge from ZutaraFan403.


**Equivalent**

An AtoRyo oneshot from a challenge by ZutaraFan403. The prompt was equivalent, the maximum and minimum lengths were 2000 and 500 respectively, the pairing was Royal, and the genre had to be General, Romance, Humour, or a mixture of the three. So here you are. xD

And equivalent or equivalence had to be used somewhere in the ficcy. xD

**equiva·lent **/i'kwivələnt/ • _adjective _equal in value, amount, importance, et cetera (Canadian Oxford Dictionary Second Edition)

xxx

**equivalent one ****· value**

After returning from America, Ryoma has long blackish green hair that reaches past his shoulders, often tied up in a ponytail. Ryoma is quite proud of his hair, because it distantly reminds him of the tail of his cat Karupin, but he is sometimes mistaken for a girl because of the length of his tresses.

Usually, the people who mistake him for a girl regret doing so greatly.

He remembers vaguely playing a match against somebody and then, after winning, giving that boy a haircut. He cannot exactly recall the boy's name, but does recollect the nickname that Ryoma had had for him: Monkey King.

Instead of going to greet his old teammates and classmates, Ryoma goes to search this boy out, who Ryoma finds, not as a boy, but a young man, two years older than Ryoma himself.

When Ryoma meets the king of the monkeys, they both smirk simultaneously, Ryoma only a bit shorter than the other. Both of their eyes are identical in the defiance they hold.

'I want a rematch.'

The diva's words are simple and to the point, which isn't normal. More often than not he speaks with flowery language, with archaic words that nobody understands, and sometimes in different languages.

Ryoma concedes. 'And the stakes?'

Monkey King's smirk only grows wider. 'I think I should get a chance to cut your hair since you've got a chance to cut mine. A fair trade, right, because even though my hair was shorter than yours, it is of more value.'

Ryoma agrees to the bet, but thinks inwardly that his hair is way better.

Ryoma expects to win.

In little less than an hour, his hair is reduced to the length that it had been before he left Japan.

'I think you look better this way anyway.'

Ryoma only gapes as Monkey King struts away, spinning a pair of scissors on his fingers.

Then he remembers.

Atobe Keigo. That is his name.

**equivalent two ****· amount**

After the first encounter with Atobe, Ryoma ends up meeting Atobe again. Atobe had said something like 'you take up an hour of my schedule, and I take up one of yours'. Atobe had made no sense at all but Ryoma meets up with Atobe anyway.

Ryoma does not know why.

'Oh, it's the Princess of Tennis.'

Ryoma whips around when he hears the lofty tone, eyes glaring at the offending man. 'What the hell did you call me, Monkey King?'

Atobe smirks. 'The Princess of Tennis.' He says nothing more, waiting for Ryoma to say something. The smirk is infernal.

Ryoma grumbles, knowing that he would have to prompt Atobe. 'Why are you calling me that?'

Atobe chuckles. It is rather nice chuckling, a deep, rumbling chuckle. God, Ryoma had to be going insane if all he has to think about is Atobe's chuckling. 'If you have a stupid nickname for me, why shouldn't I have one for you? It's only proper.' Atobe sounds _cheeky_.Atobe isn't supposed to sound cheeky.

'I'm no fucking princess!' Ryoma shouts, quite aware that by shouting he was forfeiting the quarrel by default.

All of a sudden, Atobe seems very close to Ryoma. 'I don't know,' he says softly. 'You seem kind of like a princess to me.'

And then Atobe is Atobe again, smirking and annoying. 'Hey, if you add our nicknames together, the final amount is quite nice. Monkey King and the Princess of Tennis. Has a nice ring to it.'

Ryoma is once again reduced to gaping.

He pretends that the pink tinge on his cheeks is only from anger.

**equivalent three · importance**

Ryoma is not exactly sure of what he is doing, sitting in Atobe's room. They had been out, playing a game of tennis, and then they had eaten dinner because Atobe had said he would treat, though Atobe _had_ made Ryoma promise to treat him another time in return.

Ryoma decides that he will take Atobe to a fast food restaurant.

But that does not explain why Ryoma is in Atobe's room.

Monkey King is babbling on about one stupid thing or another, but Ryoma finds himself much more focussed on the way that Atobe talks than on what Atobe is actually saying. Atobe moves his hands as he talks in elaborate gestures, and enunciates clearly, lips parting fully to reveal perfectly white teeth.

Ryoma is still staring after Atobe stops talking.

Atobe smirks once again. 'See something you like?' His tone is nothing short of provocative.

Ryoma flushes and looks away, mumbling something that sounds like 'of course not, idiot', though it is less convincing when Ryoma's face is a bright shade of red.

Ryoma, looking at the ground, does not see Atobe inching towards him, and is quite shocked when Atobe kisses his cheek. Before Ryoma can say anything, however, Atobe is already at the door.

'If somebody gives you something,' Atobe states before leaving, 'it is only fair to give something back of equal importance.'

'I'll see you next week,' Atobe adds impishly, and Ryoma is left in Atobe's room, feeling quite foolish and stupid and not nearly as confident as he had been before returning to Japan.

Ryoma resolves to start thinking up a proper 'gift' for Atobe.

Only in the name of equivalency, of course.

**et cetera**

Wouldn't reviews be just wonderful? XD -awinchan


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